Orthodox Christmas
Eastern Christian celebration
Orthodox Christmas is the celebration of Christmas by Eastern Orthodox Christians, typically falling on January 7th rather than December 25th.
The difference stems from these churches following the Julian calendar for religious observances rather than the Gregorian calendar adopted by Western Christianity.
Orthodox Christmas is a public holiday in Russia, Serbia, and other countries with large Orthodox populations.
- feastingEating sumptuously together
- iconsRepresentative small images
- Julian calendarAncient Roman dating system
- gift-givingOffering presents to others
- candle lightingIgniting wax wicks
traditional foods · caroling · scripture readings · Paschal cycle · church bells · Byzantine Empire · hymns · folk dances · prayers · divine mystery · incense · holy water · family gatherings · processions · star of Bethlehem · three wise men · Council of Nicaea · Great Schism
- Winter HolidaysHanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, winter solstice
- BalkansAlbania, Bosnia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Kosovo
- holy daysEaster Sunday, holy day, Easter Week, sabbath day, Epiphany
- Slavic traditionscaroling, mummers, blini
- JanuaryNew Year's Day, resolutions, winter sales, MLK Day, Inauguration Day
- Russian CultureBolshoi, matryoshka, Kremlin, Hermitage, balalaika
orthodox, Christmas, orthodoxy, orthodoxies, unorthodox, ortho, Christ, Christmases, Christmassy